Paul Finebaum, Matt Barrie call Alabama OC hire, QB transfer puzzling, bizarre

Alabama had two major losses this offseason, losing star quarterback Bryce Young to the NFL and their offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien to the league as well. The Crimson Tide have since filled those holes by adding former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees to the coaching staff and Fighting Irish quarterback Tyler Buchner to their quarterback competition.

Only time will tell if the Notre Dame duo can produce for the Crimson Tide, but ESPN’s Matt Barrie and Paul Finebaum made it clear that the move caught them by surprise this offseason.

“How do I put this, it was puzzling,” Barrie said. “Look, I think Tommy’s a young football mind, quarterback at Notre Dame, did some things special there. But in comes Tommy Rees and Tyler Buchner and I don’t know where Alabama is now because this seems so, you cover them better than anybody, did I read this right? Did it seem bizarre?”

“It did,” Finebaum agreed. “And I think the conundrum at Alabama is this Matt, enormous talent, they’re still recruiting at a very elite level but, and you can just kind of go on for the rest of the day after I say but, but what happens now?”

Change is scary, and brings with a certain level of uncertainly in Tuscaloosa heading into the 2023 season. The Crimson Tide know what to expect out of their head coach Nick Saban, but can they bounce back after a season that was dissipating according to their sky-high standards?

“I think you have to have an honest conversation, for a podcast like this unlike SportsCenter or unlike what I do, you don’t have to put the guest on and he doesn’t have to say Nick Saban is the best. We all know that, we all know who Nick Saban is. The question is where is he today, and I feel confident about Alabama this fall,” Finebaum said.

Alabama finished the season 11-2 last year, missing the SEC Championship game for just the second time in the last five seasons and the College Football Playoff for the second time ever. Their season was highlighted by close calls and last-second finishes, which is entertaining to watch, but off-brand for Alabama’s typical dominance.

“But for all of those people who say, ‘They only lost two games last year on the last play.’ They’re not telling the truth, the real picture is they also won two games on the last play and and won another game in the last 45 seconds and it could’ve gone badly, it didn’t. So Nick Saban escaped, he’s brilliant at that, and now what happens?” Finebaum asked.

Finebaum’s question marks regarding the Crimson Tide became even bigger with the Rees and Buchner additions, and it will definitely be intriguing to see if the two will be able to silence some doubters during the 2023 season.

“And I couldn’t tell you about Tyler Buchner, I don’t have enough data to give you an honest opinion. I mean I know what he’s good at, I know what he’s bad at. Tommy Rees same thing, I’ll spare you what you already know,” Finebaum said. “Puzzling is being charitable Matt.”